**EU Ministers Condemn Violence in Georgia**
The Foreign Ministers of France, Germany, and Poland have expressed “serious concern” over the violence against peaceful protesters in Georgia. They strongly condemned the Georgian authorities’ actions and threatened to take further measures.
According to a joint statement issued on December 31, the ministers said that the reason for the crisis in Georgia is the ruling party’s departure from the European path. They called on the Georgian authorities to reverse their course and return to EU integration by upholding European norms and values.
The ministers noted that the OSCE/ODIHR final report about the October 26 parliamentary elections in Georgia confirms their concerns regarding the integrity of the electoral process. They stated that the elections were not conducted according to standards expected from an EU candidate.
The statement calls on Georgian authorities to engage in a national dialogue with all relevant stakeholders to find a way out of the current situation and restore public trust in Georgian democracy. The ministers also called for the implementation of OSCE/ODIHR recommendations, including the possibility of new elections.
**Support for Democratic Aspirations**
The Weimar Triangle Foreign Ministers reiterated their countries’ determination to support the democratic and European aspirations of the Georgian people. They said they will implement EU decisions on ending visa-free travel for Georgian diplomatic and service passport holders and consider additional measures on EU and national levels.
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